Lassa fever

A grave infectious disease caused by a rodent-borne virus. Lassa fever, which is passed through contact with the faces, saliva, or urine, is mainly confined to West Africa. Symptoms arise after an incubation period of three to 21 days with headache, fever, muscular aches, and a sore throat. Later, extreme vomiting an diarrhoea develop. In severe cases, the condition leads on to fatal kidney or heart failure. Treatment of lassa fever is with use of anti-viral drug ribavirin ad serum containing antibodies to the virus.

Laurence-Biedl-Moon syndrome

A unusual inherited disorder characterise by learning difficulties, obesity, polydactyl (extra digits), hypogonadism (underactivity of the testes or ovaries) and retinitis pigmentosa (degeneration of the retina that can lead to blindness).